A Boston Globe editorial calls for the Massachusetts State Legislature to approve Bill H.4065 (An Act promoting the planning and development of sustainable communities).
The editorial calls the bill a crucial opportunity to shape Massachusetts’ future: "The measure would provide a boost to the economy by encouraging more housing construction near town centers, while also aiding local efforts to preserve open space."
The editorial acknowledges that reforming the zoning code has been an onerous process, and that many homeowners prefer the devil they know to the devil they don't know. "But," says the editorial, "more than their interests are at stake, and by passing the bill the Legislature would be supporting the broader public interest. Massachusetts needs more reasonably priced housing, and it needs more environmentally sensible development."
Read the full story: Sprawl takes a fall?
Asheville reconsiders parking minimums as surface parking eats up over a third of downtown real estate
Housing advocates say parking requirements are unnecessary and induce sprawl.
Texas Could Have the Nation’s 3 Largest Cities by 2100. Are They Ready to Embrace Density?
Houston, Dallas, and Austin are growing fast. The old sprawl model is no longer sustainable.
Boulder Eliminates Parking Minimums Citywide
Officials estimate the cost of building a single underground parking space at up to $100,000.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority